


Stardust

by daisyisawriter91



Category: Stardust (2007), Supernatural
Genre: Crossdressing Pirates, Crowley is a dick, Fallen Stars, Good Parent John Winchester, Lucifer (Supernatural) is a Little Shit, M/M, Magic, Neil Gaiman is Brilliant, Stardust AU, Stormhold, The Village of Wall, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-06 12:30:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13411299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisyisawriter91/pseuds/daisyisawriter91
Summary: Based on the 2007 movie 'Stardust', Sam is a small town boy who crosses into another world for his true love and finds a wild, topsy-turvy adventure, all starting with a fallen star named Lucifer.





	1. The Mundane Life of Sam Winchester

**Author's Note:**

> This was based on a tumblr prompt I received, which can be found here: https://multifandomhcsforinsanity.tumblr.com/post/169764843630/ship-sam-luci  
> Stardust is one of my favorite movies of all time, and it works SO WELL for Samifer, so here. Have this thing. It very closely follows the movie.

_“A philosopher once asked: do we gaze up at the stars because we are human, or are we human because we gaze up at them? Pointless question, really. Do they look back down at us? Now_ that _is a question.”_  
“Don’t forget the flowers!” John called.  
“I’ve got them!” Sam called back.  
Sam Winchester left his small family home, pure white flowers in hand for the lovely Ruby. He was only just eighteen in years, still had the wide-eyed innocence of youth. He worked at the trader’s for a small sum, but enough, and studied in his free time. But this is not the story of the boy he _is_. This is the story of the man he will _become_.  
Sam walked down the silent cobblestone street, repeating his lines in his head. What would he even say to a woman as beautiful as Ruby? How would he even act? Especially when the man courting her, Crowley, was ten times better than him. Yet, maybe in his oddness, Sam had a chance?  
Finally reaching her homestead, Sam knelt down to the ground and picked up a small stone. He flung it at her window, just hard enough that it would hit, not hard enough that it would break the glass. He heard excited giggling inside, and though he was hopeful, he knew it wasn’t for him. Crowley was supposed to come.   
Ruby opened the window, two other girls behind her, her face falling when she laid eyes on Sam. “Oh. It’s you, Sam. Did I leave something at the shop?” She asked. Sam wouldn’t let this deter him, although it _did_ wound his pride a bit.  
“N-No. I’m just here to-” Sam was cut off by a cane to his neck. He looked over and saw Crowely, holding a bouquet of large red roses. They were quite lavish, but Sam much preferred the delicate white ones.  
“Yes, what are you here to do?” Crowley asked, suspiciously. “You were here for Ruby, weren’t you? Pathetic, truly.” Crowley knocked the flowers out of Sam’s hands, scattering them to the ground.  
Sam was stricken. He’d hoped that he’d be able to present them to Ruby. Of course, Crowley had to ruin it. Crowley always ruined his shot at Ruby.  
Sam knelt down and picked up a stick. It was weighted similarly to Crowley’s cane, Sam suspected, but Crowley knocked it out of his hand like it was nothing. Like it was the flowers. The girls in the house laughed.  
“You’re not very good at this. Then again, I seem to have trouble recalling anything you _were_ good at in school.” Crowley said.  
He whacked Sam once, pushing him to the ground. Sam hit the cobblestones with a _thud _, pain shooting up his back and side.  
Crowley hit him again, making Sam curl into himself. And again, and again, and _again_. Sam would surely have nasty bruises from that. Four dark bruises, he could see it in his future.  
“Crowley, stop! That’s enough!” Ruby called, voice like an angel in that moment. “Crowley!” Crowley finally let up at Ruby’s insistence and scoffed at Sam. “Are you alright?” Ruby asked.  
“Y-Yeah, I’m fine.” Sam replied, putting on a brave face. The girls giggled again, rubbing salt into the open wound.  
“Sorry Sam. See you at the shop tomorrow!” Ruby said, cheerily, before letting Crowley in.  
Sam picked himself up off the ground, dusting his jacket off. He left the shards of his heart behind. They’d do him no good. Still, he’d get to see Ruby the next day. That was always a blessing.  
Sam left the flowers behind as he trudged home, in the hopes of sneaking past his father and brother. He didn’t want them to know of his utter humiliation. He just wanted to forget the night entirely. Though, the forming bruises would surely remind him for some time.__

__

__Sam bounded down the stairs, running a quick hand through his hair, sliding his jacket on very quickly. He tripped down the last few steps.  
His father and brother, John and Dean, were already sitting at the table, eating breakfast. John had an open newspaper, but set it down with a smile.   
“Good morning, Sam. How did it go?” John asked. Sam frowned, confusedly.  
“How did what go?” Sam shot back.  
“The _wooing_ , Sammy. The wooing.” Dean said, teasing grin on his face.  
Sam’s heart temporarily forgot to beat. In his rush to work, he’d forgotten about it. The memory came crashing back to him.  
“Oh, um, really good! Really, really, good.” Sam insisted. He grabbed some cheese and bread from the table. “Now, I’m very late for work, so I better get going.”   
When Sam entered the shop, it was quite busy, so he dove into the work. There was no reason to think about Ruby and Crowley if he was too busy to even think what he’d have for dinner. That was the way he worked, until Ruby, herself came in.  
She was a vision in a pale cream color, and Sam nearly sighed, dreamily.   
“Hello, Sam.” She greeted, pleasant smile on her face.   
“Ruby.” Sam said back, not bothering to contain his excitement and hope at seeing her. Anything he would hide, she already knew.  
“Can I get a pound of sugar, please?” She asked, breezing right by the incident from last night. Snubbing the customer rightfully in line. Sam nodded and went to retrieve it. “Let’s see…a bag of flour, a dozen eggs,” Ruby added onto the list. “Oh, look, I’m really sorry about Crowley last night, it was really very rude.”   
Rude wasn’t the right word. Downright painful was more appropriate. But, if Ruby said it was rude, than that’s what it was.   
“Um, I also need a sack of potatoes and some chocolate, please.” Ruby requested with a smile.  
“Of course.” Sam said, eagerly. “May I, perhaps, see you tonight?” Sam suggested.  
“No, but you may walk me home.” Ruby said.  
“Now?” Sam clarified. Ruby nodded. “Yes. Yes, of course.” Sam said, picking up her parcels on his own. Save for the chocolate, which Ruby took for herself.  
He got to walk Ruby home!_ _

__

__“Father, I lost my job.” Sam practiced to his reflection in the bronze pot. “F-Father, I…I lost my job. I-I’m so sorry…Father-”  
“You lost your job?” Sam startled, violently, and turned to see John behind him. He didn’t appear angry or upset. Rather, he looked mildly amused. “Yes, I heard.”   
“I’m sorry. Maybe Mr. Ketch was right. Maybe I am just deluding myself. I’m not good enough for Ruby.” Sam said. John looked confused.  
“He said that? That’s poppycock.” John questioned.  
“You-you really wanna know how it went last night?” Sam asked, settling at the dining table, John across from him. “Not good. Not good at all.” John blinked, but didn’t interrupt. “Come on, I’m wasting my time. I’m not… _like_ Crowley.” John thought for a moment before leaning forward.  
“Sam, I can tell you that every man I ever envied as a boy has led an unremarkable life. So, you don’t fit with the popular crowd. I think that’s a very good omen.” John said. Sam smiled, half-heartedly, spirits beginning to lift.  
He had the beginnings of an idea._ _


	2. The Royal Ruby

The stone was weighted as nicely as the first one Sam had thrown. It tapped against Ruby’s window just as it had the previous night.  
The most stunning woman alive came to the window and opened it to look down at him.  
“Sam, I thought I told you not to come tonight.” Ruby said, almost pitying.  
“I-I know, but I have something for you. A surprise.” Sam said. Ruby went inside and closed the window. Any shred of hope he had was dashed.   
Shoulders sunken, Sam began to walk away from Ruby’s house. Until Ruby joined him and latched onto his arm.   
“My birthday’s not for another week, you know.” She said. Sam smiled in response.

 

The clearing they sat in was covered in candles, a blanket laid out over the grass with a basket in the middle. The basket held lavish food and an expensive champagne.  
Ruby and Sam sat on the blanket, Sam pouring the champagne.  
“I’ve never had champagne before.” Ruby confessed.  
“Neither have I.” Sam agreed. Ruby hesitated a moment before adding:  
“How does a shop boy afford all this?”   
“I’m not a shop boy.” Sam said, immediately.  
“Oh, right. I heard. I’m so sorry, Sam.” Ruby said. “What’re you gonna do now?”  
“No, I mean, I was a shop boy. I’m not, now. Now I’m free to live my life, to do what I want.” Sam replied.  
“This must’ve been all your savings.” Ruby muttered, looking around the clearing.  
“So? I can make more. That’s the beauty of it. I never intended to stay in Wall, anyways. There’s a whole big world out there. I’m gonna make it outside of this village.” Sam insisted.  
“You sound just like Crowley. He’s quite the traveler. He’s just gone to Ipswich to get me a ring.” Ruby said, excitedly. Sam guffawed.  
“Ipswich? Ruby, I’m talking about London, or Paris, or…a ring? Why’s he buying you a ring? What kind of a ring?” Sam asked, hearing his heart shattering.  
“The word is he’s planning to propose to me on my birthday.” Ruby replied.  
“He’s gonna…and you’re gonna say yes?” Sam asked, not daring to believe it.  
“I can’t really say no, Sam. He has gone all the way to Ipswich.” Ruby said, small laugh in her voice.  
“All the way to Ipswich?” Sam repeated, incredulous. “Ruby, for your hand in marriage, I’d cross oceans! Or continents!”  
“…really?” She asked.  
“Yes! Ruby, for your hand in marriage, I’d got to the golden fields of San Francisco and bring you back your weight in gold!” Sam said, passionately. Ruby laughed at either his passion or his words, but he persisted. “I would! I’d go to Africa and bring you back a diamond as big as your fist.” Ruby shifted a little closer, inching a bit towards his lips. This is where Sam’s brain turned off. “Or, I’d got the Arctic and…slaughter a polar bear and bring you back its head.” Ruby pulled away, repulsed.  
“A polar bear’s head?” She repeated. For one world-shattering moment, Sam thought he’d ruined it. Until Ruby reached out and touched his nose, affectionately. “You’re funny, Sam. It’s just, people like you and people like me, we’re just not…” She trailed off. “I need to go. It’s really late.” She began to leave, but Sam stopped her.  
“Wait, wait! At least help me finish the champagne.” Sam attempted. Ruby settled back down with a small smile.  
“Alright.”  
 _“Had Sam known then how the stars watched Earth, he'd have shuddered at the very thought of an audience to his humiliation. But, fortunately for him, nearly every star in the sky at the moment was looking in earnest at the land on the other side of the Wall, where the king of all Stormhold lay on his deathbed. A coincidence, because it was the king’s final act that would change the course of Sam’s destiny forever.”_  
Old King Metatron laid in his bed, dying ever so slowly. Three of his sons, Bartholomew, Zachariah, and James stood at the edge of his bed. He’d had eight sons, but only four remained. Three were dead, and one had gone missing as a baby. James’s twin, Castiel.  
“Where is Sir Raphael?” King Metatron demanded. Sir Raphael was long thought to be King Metatron’s favorite. This was not precisely true, but no one needed to know that.  
“He’s on his way, Father.” Said Sir Zachariah.   
“Than we shall wait.” Metatron said.  
They only had to wait moments before the doors to the King’s lavish bedchamber opened, revealing proud Sir Raphael striding in like he owned the room.  
“Sorry I’m late, Father.” He said. He knelt behind the bed. “I came as swiftly as I could.” Metatron waved his hand and Raphael stood.  
Raphael looked at his brothers.  
“James. Bartholomew. Zachariah.” He greeted coolly. They nodded in acknowledgment.  
“So…on the matter of succession.” As soon as the words left Metatron’s lips, his sons were at attention. Power-hungry bastards, the lot of them “Of my eight sons, only four stand before me, today. This is quite a break from tradition. I, myself, had _twelvethat close_.” Raphael groaned.  
“On the bright side, you still have your looks.” Michael droned, sardonically, causing the other ghosts to chuckle.  
“You can’t still be angry about that whole murdering thing, can you?” Raphael said. “It was _ten years ago_!”  
“Mm, yeah. Look at the world of good it did you, killing me, Sir Raphael. Now, of course, now you’re king of all Stormhold. Oh, wait, no you’re not. You’re dead, just like the rest of us.” Michael quipped. Gabriel began cackling.  
Back in the realm of the living, the king was calling out for his lost daughter.  
“Una? Una?” He called out, directly to Zachariah.  
“No, Father, it’s me. Your son. Zachariah.” He insisted. Metatron looked disappointed.  
“Oh…where is your sister?” He demanded.  
“I’m sorry, Father. No one has seen Una for years.” Bartholomew said. He sounded genuinely upset. Though he’d kill his brothers if the reward was a piece of lettuce, he cared about his sister.   
Metatron looked to his youngest son, James.  
“James…”  
“Milord?” James said, quickly.  
“Tradition dictates that the throne must pass to a _male_ heir.” Metatron emphasized.  
“Exactly, Father. Why would I waste time killing my sister when I’ve still got these two idiots to deal with?” James said.  
All knew that they would try to kill the other, but to hear it so callously stated was a surprise.  
“Indeed. Therefore, we will resolve this matter by breaking tradition.”   
Metatron lifted the royal ruby necklace from his chest and held it aloft. As he held it, it turned an iridescent white color, gleaming in the low candlelight of the bedchamber.  
He let go of the pendant, but it floated in midair.  
“Only the man of royal blood can restore the ruby to its former glory.” Metatron said. “And the one of you that does so will be crowned king of Stormhold.”  
With that, King Metatron took his final breath. His heart stopped beating.  
The brothers watched the pendant for a moment before James hesitantly reached out to it. The pendant began to act of its own accord, darting every which way. The brothers scrambled to catch it, but it was too quick.  
The pendant flew out the window and far into the atmosphere, even reaching the stars. As a matter of fact, it just so happened to hit one of the stars.  
The pendant and the innocent star both began to fall.


	3. The Fallen Star

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a quick update. This fanfic will be getting a new chapter (hopefully) every Friday. Also, baby Mark Pellegrino and Puppy!Sam? Adorable.

Sam and Ruby watched the stars as they sipped champagne. It was a beautiful night, but Sam couldn’t stop glancing over at Ruby. He didn’t think she noticed, much to his relief.  
“Oh, look!” Ruby said, in one of his many glances at her. She pointed up into the sky, and Sam followed her finger.  
A vibrantly glowing mass was falling out of the sky. _A star._ Suddenly, Sam had an idea.  
“Ruby…for your hand in marriage, I’d go get that star and bring it back to you.” Sam said. Ruby looked at him for a long moment before smiling.  
“Alright, Sam. You have one week before I am to marry Crowley. Bring that star back to me and we’ll talk.” Ruby said. Sam’s heart leapt for joy, making him not even consider what he’d do once he found the star.   
Sam and Ruby clinked their glasses of champagne, killing the bottle.

 

Sam and Ruby were not the only ones to view the star falling.   
A witch sat outside her home, watching the sky, almost absentmindedly. Her name was Amara. When Amara viewed the star falling, she suddenly became alert, and ran inside as fast as she could on her old bones.  
“Wake up! Wake up!” She cried to her sisters, Hael and Naomi. They woke up with grunts and groans of protest.  
“What is it, Amara?” Hael asked, sleepily.  
“A star. One has fallen.” Amara said, excitedly.  
It took a moment for the information to settle over the pair, but when it did, her sisters gasped and hurried out of bed.   
“Oh, this is wonderful!” Naomi rejoiced.  
“Shall we use the Babylon candle?” Hael asked.  
“Exactly my thoughts, Hael.” Amara said.   
The three rushed over to a dusty cabinet and rooted through it. Sadly, there was no Babylon candle to be found.  
“Right. We used it with the last star.” Naomi remembered.  
“We’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.” Amara reasoned.  
The three witches (because, indeed, that is what they were) stalked over in unison to a line of cages.   
Inside the cages were a myriad of different beasts. Dogs, alligators, cats, birds, ferrets, anything you could think of was housed in a cage. Even creatures that you could not think of were contained in the lair of the sisters.  
Naomi took out a ferret from one of the cages and slit it open. The sisters leaned in close to read the contents of its insides.  
“The star is barely a hundred miles away.” Hael said, aloud.  
“Which one of us shall go?” Naomi asked.  
At once, the three sisters straightened and put their hands inside the ferret’s body, eyes closed. Amara peaked, but quickly shut her eyes again.  
They pulled organs from the ferret and looked.  
“I got his liver.” Hael said.  
“I have his kidney.” Naomi muttered, examining the organ she’d taken.  
“And I have his heart.” Amara said, victoriously. Her sisters glared at her, but she whisked away to a box in the corner of the room.  
It was a relatively small box, just large enough to house what she needed at that moment. All together, the witches blew dust off the box and it flew off in a cloud.  
Reverently opening the box, Amara took out a small glowing mass. It put up a fight, attempting to leap out of the box, but Amara was too quick for it.   
“There’s just enough of the heart left for you to make your journey.” Naomi observed.  
Indeed, the hearts of fallen stars were like gold to witches. Consuming the heart of a star would make them regain their youth for many years.   
Amara put the remaining piece of heart into her mouth and swallowed it whole.   
The effects were instantaneous.   
Long, silky brown hair grew out of Amara’s head, reaching the small of her back. Wrinkles smoothed out of her skin, age spots disappeared, her posture straightened out. Arthritis vanished and Amara stretched out her fingers.  
Finally, the process ended. Amara turned and grinned, giggling like a schoolgirl. And that was when she saw the state they lived in.   
Their fortress was dark and dank, covered in dust. It hurt her eyes to stare at too long.  
“Ugh, why do we live like this?” Amara groaned. She snapped her fingers and all the chandeliers lit, clearing some of the dust away just by the presence of heat. “There.”  
Amara turned around and viewed herself in the mirror. She was young. It was exhilarating. Unable to resist temptation, she dropped her dress and admired herself in the mirror. No wrinkles, everything was perfectly intact.  
Amara picked back up her dress and turned to depart. Her sisters were already getting ready a rucksack.   
Naomi placed pitch black runestones into Amara’s hand and Hael gave her a rucksack. “Remember, sister, you must conserve your magic to keep the heart in your system.” Naomi said. Amara nodded.  
Hael picked up a pillow that held three crystalline purple weapons. The ones they would use to cut out the heart of the star.  
Amara toyed with a cleaver before picking up the tried and true dagger.   
“Clean this place up while I’m gone. Make it fit for the queens we are. And when I return, we shall be young and beautiful again.” Amara ordered.   
And with that, she swept out of the fortress and into the world.

 

Lucifer woke up in a crater, which was, in and of itself, an oddity. He was just up in the sky, shining with his brothers and sisters, right?   
He sat up, slowly. And that was when it all came crashing back to him.   
Lucifer looked around, puzzled. He had no idea where he was, other than the vaguest idea of Stormhold.   
There was a shooting pain in his right ankle and he winced when he felt it. He must’ve landed on it awkwardly.  
To the right of him was the thing that had hit him, causing him to fall out of the sky. It was a pendant with a pure white stone at its center, gold embellishments not dulling the stone’s natural beauty.   
Lucifer, out of spite or maybe something else, snatched the necklace and clasped it around his neck.  
He tried to stand, but the pain was too much. So there he sat, unknown necklace resting on his chest, pain in his ankle, and hopelessly alone.  
Little did he know, his brothers and sisters in the sky were aligning, and his destiny was to be changed forever.


	4. The Truth

This was it. Sam was _going_ to cross the Wall. He didn’t care about the Gatekeeper, he was _going_ to.  
The Gatekeeper was named Bobby. He’d been around longer than Sam, longer than Dean, longer than _John_. No one was quite certain how long Bobby had been there, he was just a staple of the town. And Sam was going to get past him, one way or another.   
Crickets chirped in the night. The stars were out in full, blazing brighter than most nights. If Sam was that type of person, he’d say that they were worried about something.  
Sam approached the wall, casually. As he neared the gap in it, Bobby stood from his chair and stepped in front of the gap.  
“Hold it. Where do you think you’re goin’, boy?” Bobby demanded.  
“Just…just across the Wall.” Sam said, a bit pathetically.  
“You know that’s forbidden. I can’t let you pass, idjit. It ain’t gonna happen.” Bobby said.  
“Well…I guess you’re right. There’s really no point in trying.” Sam conceded. Bobby raised an eyebrow  
“Alright, kid, alright. Go home. Tell your brother that I know.” Bobby said, starting to lead Sam back to the village, hand on his back.  
“Know? Know what?” Sam asked.  
“He’ll understand.” Bobby assured. There was a split second when Bobby was turning around, Sam saw his opportunity.  
He darted towards the Wall, legs pumping wildly as he dashed for freedom. Then the unexpected happened, right before his eyes. He barely believed it had happened.  
Bobby jumped, flipped in midair, and landed in front of the gap in the wall, sending Sam back with a palm to the chest and a staff to the face. Sam hit the ground with a _thud_ , blow softened by the silky grass below.  
“It ain’t happening, Sam. Give it up. I had a lot of practice with your daddy.” Bobby said, almost amused.  
“Right, right.” Sam rushed out before standing up and trudging home.

 

John was waiting for Sam when he got home.  
“Where were you?” John asked, not unkindly.  
“Doesn’t matter.” Sam tried, heading to his room.  
“Hang on just a second. You hurt?” John stopped him. Sam froze in his tracks. “Was it Crowley, again?”  
“No, it was…the Gatekeeper.” Sam confessed, coming back to the kitchen table.  
“Sam, the man is 97 years old.” John said, incredulously.  
“It’s given him loads of time to practice, hasn’t it?” Sam mumbled, petulantly, sitting heavily in a chair next to his father.  
“Why were you trying to cross the wall, kiddo?” John asked. Sam looked at him and suddenly remembered something Bobby had said.  
“I could ask you the same thing.”

 

That night, John told Sam everything about his birth. How John had attempted to leave the village through the Wall, just to see the other side. He hadn’t known about the existence of Dean, so he thought there were no ramifications.   
He’d outwitted the Gatekeeper and passed through the Wall, ending up in a strange town where he met a girl. Mary. She’d explained that she was a princess, forced into slavery by an evil witch.   
There is much to John and Mary’s story, but this is not that. This is _Sam’s_ story. And, currently, Sam was sitting in the attic with his father.  
“I have a mother. I mean, I have a _mother_.” Sam repeated, legs gathered close to his chest. “Well, this is wonderful! Is she alive?” Sam asked his father, who was sitting beside him.  
“I hope so. I definitely like to think so, at least.” John answered, smiling, wistfully. “This was all I had from her.” John held out a glowing chain and a glass flower. Sam recognized them from the story he’d told. The chain that would only separate, never break, until the person who’d placed the enchantment died. And the glass flower John had been sold in exchange for a kiss.  
“The glass flower. From the story!” Sam said, taking both the chain and the snowdrop. He put the chain in his pocket and pinned the flower to his lapel.  
“She said it would bring me luck. There was also this.” John handed over an oddly shaped letter tied with twine. Sam took it and lightly tugged on the twine.  
A pure black candle fell out and he gave it to John to hold while he read the letter.  
 _My dearest Sam,  
Though it pains me greatly to send you away, I fear I must. My mistress would do terrible things to you if you stayed. Truly, I know this is for the best.  
My deepest wish is that we will meet someday, when you are a strong, handsome man. The man I know you will be.  
The fastest way to travel is by candlelight. Simply light the candle inside and think of me, only of me.  
I love you, dearest Samuel. But this is goodbye for now.  
With all the love in my heart,  
Your Mother_  
Sam gently folded the letter and stuffed it into his pocket. He took the candle from John’s hand and held it up.  
“You have a light?” He asked. John searched his pockets and pulled out a matchbox. He struck a match and lit the candle. As he did so, Sam thought of his mother.   
He imagined she was beautiful. The most beautiful woman to ever live (other than Ruby, of course). Kind, spirited, caring, gentle. He pictured everything she could be, and everything his father said she would be.  
And then, Sam Winchester was gone.

 

Lucifer sucked in a sharp breath. He could do this.  
Slowly, very gingerly, he stood up. Sharp pain shot through his leg and he gasped in shock. he wouldn’t let it stop him, though. He had to figure out how to get home.  
He turned himself in a limping circle, trying to see where he was. He glanced up at the sky, checking for his brothers and sisters. They were all shining brightly, looking down on him with despair.  
He was in a crater, a rather deep one, at that. No doubt caused by his falling. It was a bit painful to know that he could do such damage to the earth, something that was entirely innocent and beautiful.  
Just as he began walking to…well, out, he heard the oddest noise. It was getting closer. He looked back up at the sky and saw a blinding ball of light heading straight towards him.  
The ball of light hit him, revealing itself to be a person. They both tumbled to the ground, the new person directly on top of Lucifer.  
The person was a young boy, probably just upwards of eighteen. He propped himself on his hands and looked down at Lucifer, confusedly.  
“Mother?” He said. Lucifer blinked, taken aback. “Oh, mother, I’m so sorry!”  
“You should be sorry. And what on earth makes you think I’m your mother?” Lucifer snapped.  
“You’re…you’re not my mother?” The boy asked, more confused than he looked, a feat which Lucifer thought was impossible.  
“Do I _lookneed_ is for you to leave me alone.” Lucifer hissed.  
“Right, okay, sorry again, sir.” The boy began walking away, and muttered to himself. Lucifer didn’t catch all of it, but he heard something about ‘mother’, ‘Ruby’, and (this is where his blood ran cold) ‘star’. The boy gasped, audibly, and darted back over to Lucifer. “I’m sorry to bother you, sir, but have you seen a fallen star anywhere?” The boy asked. His eyes were so wide with innocence Lucifer almost couldn’t believe it.  
“You think you’re being funny?” Lucifer asked.  
“No, no! The star _has_ to be here! This crater must’ve been caused by it, so it had to have fallen here!” The boy insisted. Lucifer thought about his next course of action.  
“You know what? It _did_ fall here. Right over there.” Lucifer began, gesturing to where he’d landed. He pointed at the spot where he’d found the necklace still hanging around his neck. “And over there is where it found this weird bloody necklace that knocked it out of the sky when it was innocently minding its own business. And _here_ ,” Lucifer gestured at the very spot he was sitting. “Is where an idiot in a ball of light crashed into it headfirst!” It took a second for understanding to dawn in the boy’s eyes.  
“ _You’re_ the star! You’re the _star_? I didn’t know you’d be…” He broke off into nervous laughter, radiant smile on his face. “My apologies in advance.” Lucifer sighed.  
“For what?” He asked. He was rather finished with this interaction.  
“For this.” The boy grabbed Lucifer’s wrist and wrapped a silver chain around it. Lucifer stared at it. The _gall_ on this boy. “Now, if I’m not mistaken, this means you have to come with me. See, you’re a birthday gift for my true love, Ruby.”  
“Oh, of course! Because nothing quite says romance like a kidnapped, injured man. I’ll be the perfect gift.” Lucifer quipped, thoroughly frustrated.  
“So, if you just, come on. There’s only a week until her birthday.” The boy began tugging on the chain, and Lucifer began to move, not of his own free will.


	5. The Bubbling (Babylon) Candle

The star, Lucifer, was tugging at the chain. It was driving Sam up the wall.  
Sam had decided they needed to sleep for the night and that they could cover a lot of ground in the morning. This, he now realized, was a mistake, as Lucifer had refused sleep.  
“Do you _ever_ sleep?” Sam finally asked.  
“It’s the middle of the night! Don’t you think stars have better things to do right about now?” Lucifer quipped, toying with the chain. Sam finally sat back up and glared at his companion.  
“You may as well stop doing that, it’s not going to break unless I die or decide to undo it. Besides, I’m the one who can get you back to the sky.” Sam said.  
“How do you plan on accomplishing that, exactly? Last time I checked, you don’t have wings.” Lucifer snapped. Sam stood up.  
“Well, I find the best way to travel is by candlelight.” Sam pulled out the black candle in his coat pocket and showed it to the man, whose eyes lit up with hope.  
“ _You_ have a Babylon candle?” Lucifer asked.  
“Yeah, of course! I’ve got a…bubbling candle.” Sam mumbled the last part.  
“A _Babylon_ candle.”  
“That’s what I said.” Sam said. “If you come with me to Wall, I’ll give you the candle to get back home.” Sam held it out. Lucifer appraised it.  
“There’s barely enough left for one use!” Lucifer protested.  
“Just be grateful I’m not using it to get back to Wall.” Sam countered. Lucifer heaved a mighty sigh and stood up to match Sam.  
“Fine! I just can’t believe I’m pinning my hopes on _you_.”  
“I don’t think I appreciate your tone.”  
“Ah, my mistake, I’m so sorry. What sort of tone do you _want_ me to use when you’ve kidnapped me?” Lucifer asked, deadpan. Sam was starting to think that _nothing_ , not even Ruby’s hand in marriage, was worth this.  
“We sleep for the night. We’ll head out in the morning.” Sam said. There was finality in his tone, and even argumentative Lucifer could see that.  
They both sat down, Lucifer with a huff. Sam settled in for a rocky night’s sleep.

 

James, seventh son of Stormhold, stared across the horizon, sea splashing at his feet.  
He was angry. Oh so angry.  
“Bring out the soothsayer.” He commanded of his men. He didn’t have to look to know when it had been done. He heard the man’s sniveling. “I asked you the location of the stone. You said south. We went south, and still no stone.”  
“Sire, the runes said south.” The soothsayer, a trembling man named Chuck, said, voice trembling. “I could…throw them again?” He suggested.  
“Do it.” James said. Suddenly, he had an idea. “Wait.” He turned around and looked to where the soothsayer was standing, in front of a large block of ice. “I’d like to try something. Throw them again, but I’d like to ask them a different question. Am I the seventh son of Stormhold?” James asked.  
Chuck frowned, confused, but threw the runestones onto the block of ice. They all came up face-up.  
“Yes, sire.” Chuck said.  
“Uh-huh. Try it again. Is my favorite color blue?” James questioned. Another face-up set of stones.  
“Yes.”  
“Has begging and pleading ever persuaded me to give mercy to a traitor?” James tried. Chuck broke out into a sweat, but he threw the stones again. They landed face-down.  
“No, sire.”  
“Throw them again, but this time, throw them high.” James urged. Chuck threw the stones into the air. “Are you working for my brother?” James asked.  
And, really, there was only one brother left. Due to a poisoning mishap, both Bartholomew and the kingdom’s bishop were dead. That left only himself and Zachariah. And James had the most horrible feeling about his soothsayer working for his brother.  
The stones hit the block of ice. They were face-up.  
James took out his sword and plunged it into Chuck’s gullet. He didn’t wait for Chuck to die before puling the sword out and handing it to a servant to clean it.  
James picked up the runestones. “So. Do we continue West?” James asked, and pitched the stones high into the air.

 

Amara was very annoyed. She had a cart, and a basic location for the star, but she had nothing to pull the cart with.  
She pulled up to a farm in search of perhaps a horse or even a mule. But all she could see was a white goat. Still, it was better than nothing.  
She approached the boy with the goat, a boy with a mop of black curls.  
“Three florens for your goat, boy.” Amara called, startling the boy.  
He turned to her and looked at her, confusedly, before he set eyes on her cart.  
“It’s a bit small to pull your cart, miss.” The boy said. Amara looked between the goat, the cart, and the boy.  
“You’re quite right.” Amara decided. She held out her finger, glowing with green flame, and touched it to the boy’s head.  
Before her eyes, he began to shrink and morph. Black fur grew over his body, horns began sprouting from his head. His hands shrunk and hardened into hooves.  
Within moments, the boy had become a goat.  
“GAVIN!” Amara heard a shout from inside the house, presumably for the boy.  
Working quickly, she tethered both goats to her cart and rode off.

 

Rowena was having a very odd day.  
First she’d encountered a fellow witch. A dark-haired witch with beautiful features who’d been seeking a meal with some company. She’d broken easily under Nimbus Grass, but what had startled Rowena is that the girl was able to identify it.  
While under the effects of the truth-spilling grass, she’d told tale of a fallen star not far from their location.  
But, then…then she’d revealed herself. She was the great witch Amara. And she’d placed a spell on Rowena.  
Rowena knew there was no chance for eternal youth. She could never see the star, no matter how hard she looked.  
There was a small consolation. She’d kept her slave girl. And while the girl was no star, she at least did most of the work for Rowena.  
Currently, the slave girl was in the form of a bright yellow canary, sitting on a post next to Rowena as Rowena drove the cart. The chain around the canary’s foot was tied to the post, meaning she could go nowhere.  
Star or no star, Rowena had her life. And that was really all that mattered.


	6. The Trap

Lucifer’s bones were weary and his eyes were drooping.  
It was midday, and Lucifer should’ve been asleep hours ago. He was falling far behind Sam, and was beginning to sag against a tree.  
“We need to hurry up.” Sam urged, turning around as Lucifer began slowing his pace.  
“I’m tired.”  
“We can’t keep taking breaks. We need to get back to Wall, it’s north of here.” Sam replied.  
“How can you tell?” Lucifer asked.  
“I don’t know, maybe it’s my love for Ruby drawing me home.” Sam answered. Lucifer took a full twenty seconds to comprehend what this foolish boy had _actually_ said.  
“Yes, I believe that’s entirely scientific.” Lucifer snapped.  
“You want a scientific explanation? Fine. I’m following the evening star. You can see it, even in the day.” Sam said, looking up. “Hang on. It’s not there."  
The words were a little stab, Lucifer was sure of it.  
“Oh, that’s hilarious. My sides are splitting.” Lucifer quipped, going to sit beside a tree.  
“No, really, you _should_ be able to see it.” Sam mumbled. Then it seemed to click in his head. “That was _you_?”   
Lucifer gave an unimpressed glance.   
“What are you doing, now?” Sam asked, observing Lucifer’s pose, sitting against the giant tree trunk for support. “I told you we would stop at the next village.”  
“Sam, it’s _midday_. I’ve never been up this late! Let me rest, please.” Lucifer pleaded. Sam thought for a moment, eyes softening, before sighing.  
“Fine. You stay here, I’ll go to the village and get us some supplies.” Sam conceded, much to Lucifer’s relief. Sam picked up the chain around Lucifers wrist and began walking around the tree trunk.  
“What are you doing?” Lucifer asked, too tired to really care.  
“Can’t have you getting away, now, can I?” Sam replied. Lucifer huffed in annoyance. Somehow, in Sam’s tiny little brain, this made perfect sense. “Now, just, stay here, Lucifor.”  
“ _Fer_. It’s Luci _fer_. I’ve told you a million times.” Lucifer corrected.  
“Right, yeah, right. I’ll be back.” Sam mumbled, and walked away.   
Lucifer passed in and out of sleep. By the time he was up for the night, Sam still hadn’t returned. Despite himself, Lucifer was beginning to worry. What was taking the human boy so long?  
A rustling in the bushes. A snap of a twig. Lucifer’s heart was on edge, thumping madly in his chest. What was in those bushes?  
“Sam?” Lucifer called out. Another snap, another rustle. “Sam, is that you? This really isn’t funny.” There was a hitch in his voice. “Sam?”  
As the bushes parted, Lucifer hugged the tree and prayed. To what, he didn’t know, but he knew he needed a miracle.  
And a miracle was what he got. A unicorn stepped out of the brush, and Lucifer let out a soft laugh of relief. He was saved.  
“Oh, thank God.” He breathed.   
The unicorn padded over to him and butted its head into Lucifer’s chest, horn maneuvering so as not to hit him. Lucifer stroked the creature’s nose, gently, elation in his heart.   
“What are you doing out here, beautiful? It’s not safe. At least, not for me…” Lucifer murmured. The unicorn pulled away and touched its horn to the chain around the tree.  
As Lucifer watched, the chain shimmered into non-existence, fading into a sparkling dust. Lucifer beamed at the unicorn.  
Before his very eyes, the beast bowed before him, inviting him onto its back. Not wasting another second, Lucifer climbed on and he and the amazing creature set off into the night.

 

Amara was once again annoyed. A migraine was increasing in size for every moment of her journey. Still, she knew it’d be worth it, in the long run. A small headache in the grand scheme of things.  
Amara rubbed the ring on her finger with her knuckles. Her sisters had given her the ring for the journey, and it was proving itself useful.  
In the sheen of her ring, she saw her sisters, tiny and distorted.  
“Where is it?” She demanded.  
“Why don’t you use your runes to find it?” Hael asked.  
“I tried the runes, but they’re not working. They’re telling me nothing but gibberish!” She attempted to restrain her voice.  
“Very well. We’ll see what we can do.” Naomi conceded.  
There was a pause as Naomi and Hael cut open a crocodile, examining the thing’s entrails.  
“You must stay where you are, sister! The star is coming to you.” Naomi urged.  
“But be warned, Amara. The star is travel-weary and miserable. You must set a trap to ease its suffering.” Hael said.  
“Got it.” Amara replied.  
She cut off the connection to her sisters and turned to her cart and goats. With a wave of her hands, in a green glow, they began to transform.  
The cart grew in size, morphing into a nice, homey inn. The goats mutated as well, the black one back into the human boy Amara had met, and the white one into a slightly odd-looking human. Making one final touch, she changed the boy into a slightly homely girl with uncontrollable black curls. He marveled at his new breasts for a moment.  
She led them into the inn and turned to them, dagger pointing between them.  
“You are the innkeeper, Billy,” She said to the formerly white goat. “I’m your wife, and you are our daughter. We shall wait for the star to appear, and when it does, we will cut out its heart. I will then release you and journey home. Are we clear?”  
The boy (girl, now), nodded. The former goat made an odd braying sound in affirmation. Amara wasn’t entirely sure he understood her, but she took it in a positive manner.  
“Good. And now we wait.”

 

Unaware of the trap being set for him, Lucifer and the unicorn treaded on trough the forest.   
“And I _refuse_ to believe that this, this…this _boy_ is my only hope of returning home. I mean, honestly, chaining me up to a tree? Talking endlessly about _Ruby this_ , and _Ruby that_. It’s getting infuriating, honestly.” Lucifer prattled on to the unicorn, who could not respond, but could understand.  
Little did Lucifer know, Sam would be more than just his only hope of returning home. But where would be the fun in a story where he already knew what was right in front of him?


	7. The Coach

When Sam returned to the clearing, Lucifer was gone. This was not a good development.  
Sam began to search for footprints, but there were none to be found, even in the bright moonlight casting down from the Heavens. The star had simply… _vanished_. And Sam was certain stars didn’t normally vanish into thin air. Well, maybe they did, Sam wasn’t entirely clear on the physiology of stars on this side of Wall. Or on his side of Wall, for that matter.  
Stuffing the loaf of bread and wheel of cheese he’d retrieved from the nearby town into his pockets, he slumped against the tree Lucifer had been chained to and sighed.   
There was nothing to be done. He’d failed Ruby. He had lost the star, and now he had no choice but to go back to Wall with nothing. She’d never marry him, now.  
He closed his eyes, not seeing what else he could do. If there was no way to track Lucifer, than he couldn’t exactly get him back.  
But he had barely drifted off when a whispered voice floated into his ears.  
 _“Sam…Sam…Sam, you must listen. Our brother is in danger.”_  
Sam’s eyes flew open, but he could see no one in the woods with him. He glanced up, and drew the only possible conclusion. The stars were talking to him. As if this journey couldn’t get more preposterous.  
Images began to fill his head as the stars spoke, painting a vivid picture inside his mind.  
 _“There are those who seek to harm him. Three ancient witches. When the last star fell to Earth, they tricked her into happiness to make her heart shine. When it was as bright as it was in the sky, they cut it out and ate it to regain their long-forgotten youth. You can’t let that happen to our brother.”_  
Well, this was entirely new information. But Sam, for some reason, wasn’t surprised. It only fit that their were witches who wanted to eat the heart of a star. Naturally.  
 _“A unicorn has set him free. But they are headed straight for a trap. You must save them.”_  
Despite himself, Sam rose to his feet, alarmed.   
Lucifer was headed for a trap? Sam had to save him. Even if the stars hadn’t told him to do just that, he still would’ve felt the overwhelming compulsion to do just that.  
 _“A coach is coming. You must board it.”_  
Sam didn’t need to be told twice.  
His legs carried him through the forest at a breakneck pace, rushing to catch the coach the stars told him about.  
It was a pitch black thing, equally black horses in the number of six pulling it along. At the front was a man in regal garb. Clearly a nobleman of some sort. But why was a noble driving his own coach? To the best of Sam’s knowledge, royals didn’t do that.  
Sam leapt from the cover of the trees and…ended up falling flat on his face after hitting the coach square on from the side. Of course. Because it wouldn’t be _his_ adventure if he didn’t fall on his face at least once more.  
To Sam’s immense relief, the coach slowed to a halt, a few paces from where Sam still lay, body wracked with intense pain. Yet _more_ bruises to add to his ever-growing collection. He’d come back from this adventure a walking bruise, at this rate.  
“Are you alright, boy?” The nobleman called, not moving from his seat.  
“Yes, I’m fine.” Sam said, standing very slowly.   
The nobleman moved to crack the reins again.  
“Wait, wait, sir! I have a favor to ask of you. May I ride with you for a while?” Sam pleaded.  
“I’m sorry, I don’t take strays.” The nobleman replied.  
“I can be of use! I noticed you don’t have any servants, I could fill the role for a while! Please, sir. It’s possible fortune brought me to you as it did you to me.” Sam attempted to make his eyes look innocent and pleading. His brother always said his eyes had an effect on people. He just prayed it would have an impact on this noble.  
“Get on.” The noble finally ordered, after a long moment. Sam smiled and pulled himself onto the coach, beside the noble. All he could feel was an overwhelming sense of relief. He couldn’t even feel his bruises anymore.  
He couldn’t let Lucifer die. Every instinct inside him was screaming at him to save the star. And while he may have been annoyed by the constant stream of sass, he was developing a small (very small, he couldn’t stress that enough) fondness for the star.  
In the wake of all this panic, Sam felt there was _something_ he should remember. _Someone._ A girl, maybe?   
All he could think of was blue eyes and silvery hair. And how, if he didn’t hurry, the world wouldn’t have it anymore.

 

Thunder growled in the clouds above, lightning crashing every which way. Rain buffeted the terrain below, turning the ground into mud.  
The storm had come out of nowhere, and Lucifer knew he couldn’t stay in it. Thankfully for him, the unicorn seemed to know exactly where it was going.   
It lead the two of them to a spacious inn, and Lucifer couldn’t be more grateful to the creature.  
Carefully, he dismounted and walked up to the door, limping, wet, and miserable. He knocked on the door three times and waited, hopefully.  
The face of a pretty woman appeared in the small window of the door. She had luscious dark hair and full lips, forming a beautiful picture.  
She opened the door immediately when she set eyes on him.  
“Oh, goodness me! Come in, come in! You poor dear! Get out of that wretched rain!” She exclaimed, putting her arms around Lucifer’s shoulders and ushering him inside. “There we are. Much better. What brings you out here in the middle of a storm?” She asked, not unkindly.  
“It’s a long story, and one I don’t care to tell.” Lucifer answered through chattering teeth.  
“I’ll fix you up a nice, hot bath while my husband puts your horse into the stables. Billy!” She hollered.  
Lucifer looked over to what appeared to be a bar. A man, a bit odd-looking, popped up from behind the bar. He jumped onto the bar then back down again, almost clomping to stand in front of the woman.  
“Put this man’s horse into the stables, will you?” She asked of her husband. Lucifer honestly couldn’t see how she’d marry such an unattractive man. Still, it wasn’t his place to question it, and he was grateful for their kindness.  
“Thank you.” He was able to say, teeth still clacking together like it was their mission in life.  
“Think nothing of it, dear.” The innkeeper said, softly. “I’m Amara, and over there is my daughter.” She gestured to a dark haired beauty across the way, who startled when Lucifer looked at her. “Now, how do you like your bath? Warm, hot, or boiled lobster?”   
“I…I honestly don’t know!” Lucifer confessed, a bit excited. He’d never had a bath before.  
In his excitement and relief of warm shelter, he entirely missed the malice hiding in the air. It entirely escaped his notice, the odd, premature age spots on Amara’s hands, his first clue. He simply wanted to warm up and stop the chattering in his teeth.


	8. The Captain

Sam and the nobleman, Zachariah, had arrived at an inn when the rain began pouring above their heads. Zachariah went inside, leaving Sam with the horses. A raw deal, but Sam wouldn’t complain. He needed to find Lucifer, that’s what he cared about.  
Sam, following an oddly shaped man with bizarre eyes that were not quite human, began to put the horses into the inn’s stables.  
The stables were a musty and slightly cramped place, but clean enough, and were functional. They’d do, for the time being.  
It took a fair amount of time, wrestling with the horses and drying them off. There was another occupant of the stables, but Sam didn’t look too closely at that one. It wasn’t his horse, so there was really no need.  
By the time he was done putting the horses away, he was almost entirely dry. But he was still chilled to the bone, and, should he try to talk, his teeth would only begin to chatter away against his will.  
Sam stroked the muzzle of the nearest horse, soothing it from the rumble of thunder. Just then, a girl with dark, curly hair strode in with a tray. On it was a goblet, presumably of wine. She presented the wine to him with a perfectly blank face.  
“Oh, thank you so much. This is very kind of you.” Sam took the goblet. “What’s your name?” He asked, politely. And, in the deep voice of a man, she answered:  
“Gavin.” Then strode away, bustling, a tad awkwardly, in her skirts. Sam stared after her, perplexed.  
“Gavin…?” He murmured to himself.   
Eventually, he shrugged, and began to raise the goblet to his lips. As he did, the door to the stall with the unknown occupant burst forward, revealing none other than a unicorn. It surged forward and knocked Sam to the ground, goblet falling onto the hay below.  
It cantered out of the stables and into the thick of the storm. Sam heard an odd sizzling sound beside him, and looked with horror to find the wine burning the hay.   
An odd stone settled in his stomach. _Oh no._ Lord Zachariah. The wine… _oh no._  
Sam leapt to his feet and dashed out into the storm, feet barely touching the ground in his mad run. Water soaked through his clothes again in no time at all, but he didn’t care. If he didn’t save Zachariah, than his hopes of finding Lucifer again were entirely nonexistent.  
Sam threw the door open.  
“Lord Zachariah, they tried to poison you!” Sam exclaimed, but stopped short. Sitting in a full tub was Zachariah, himself. His throat was slit, bright blue blood pouring out into the water. And, looking terrified for his very life was a person Sam never thought he’d see again. Lucifer.  
Sam ran to his side.  
“Are you alright?” He asked, worriedly. Lucifer nodded, quickly.  
“Billy!” The innkeeper’s wife, the one holding a _dagger_ , cried. Her husband, the oddly shaped man, rose from his position behind the bar. “Get them!”  
Billy began to charge at them. Instinctually, Sam put Lucifer behind him, bracing himself for the impact. But it never came.  
The unicorn, ever loyal to Lucifer, busted down the doors to the inn and hit Billy head on. Billy flew backwards, knocking into the wall with an ominous crack. It was at that moment Sam saw something miraculous. Where there was once a man, now there was a mere goat. Paired with Gavin, the strange man-woman, there was only one explanation. The innkeeper’s wife was the one Sam had been warned about.  
The unicorn reared and bucked, threateningly, towards the witch. But a jet of green fire flew from her hand directly at the unicorn, engulfing it in flames.   
Lucifer let out a strangled cry, but Sam, no matter how horrible the sight, knew they had to get out of there.  
He steered the star to the door and began to make for the exit. A blaze identical to the one that had killed the unicorn rose up in front of them, blocking their exit.  
Sam tried another way. And another. But no matter where he went, flames always beat him there. Finally, there was nowhere to run.  
The witch began walking towards them, Sam pushed Lucifer fully behind him. There was no way he’d let Lucifer die first.  
“The burning, golden heart of a star at peace is so much better than your frightened little heart. Even so, better than no heart at all.” The witch said.  
The pair finally hit the wall, flames just missing their skin by inches. And it gave Sam an idea.  
“Lucifer. Hold me tight and think of home.” He muttered, just for Lucifer’s ears. Lucifer grabbed onto him in a death grip.  
Out of his waistcoat pocket, Sam pulled the small stub of the Babylon candle and, in one swift motion, stuck it and his hand into the fire.  
His hand was seized in pure agony for only a moment. But he would never again choose to do something so reckless. At least, this was the vow he’d made to himself. Oh, how wrong he was.  
As soon as the candle lit, Sam and Lucifer were gone.

 

They landed in the clouds, storm whipping at their cheeks. Every flash of lightning was blinding at their position. Every roll of thunder was an earthquake. The rain threatened to drown them.  
The pair broke apart once they were on semi-solid ground. How the clouds were holding them, Sam had no clue.  
“What the hell did you do?” Sam shouted over the rain.  
“What did _I_ do? What did _you_ do?! Think of _home_?! That’s a bloody great plan!” Lucifer yelled back. “You thought of your home, I thought of my home, now we’re stuck halfway between the two!”  
“Oh, you stupid cow! What’d you think of your home for?!” Sam screamed.  
“You just said home! If you wanted me to think of your home, you should have said so!” Lucifer argued.  
“Some crazy lady was gonna cut your heart out and you wanted more specific instructions?! Perhaps you’d like it in writing! Or maybe a diagram!”   
The argument did not continue. Rather, it could not continue. A net was raised into the Heavens and pulled Sam and Lucifer down. Right onto the deck of what appeared to be a ship.  
Standing around them were bawdy sailors wearing cloaks and goggles over their eyes.  
“Look, Captain Shakespeare!” One of the sailors called. A man cut through the crowd, gray hair falling just slightly out of his cloak. “Caught ourselves a little bonus! Couple o’ lightning marshals!”   
The man, proclaimed Captain Shakespeare, leaned down and peered at them, closely. Sam shuffled back against the scrutiny, pulling Lucifer with him. Captain Shakespeare stood up and looked at the sailor who’d spoken.  
“They don’t look like lightning marshals to me.” The Captain said, in a silky tone.  
“Why else would anyone be up here in the middle of a storm?” The sailor demanded.   
“Why else would anyone be up here in the middle of a storm?” The Captain repeated. “Let’s think. Maybe for the same Godforsaken reason we are!” The Captain turned back to Sam and Lucifer and eyed them. “Now, who are you?”  
Sam and Lucifer did not answer. Whether it was from fear or the startling cold, neither could find the energy to form words.  
“See if a night on our lovely brig will loosen their lips.” Captain Shakespeare ordered. “Take them away.” He ordered. “And you two. Remember the name of Captain Cain Shakespeare. It may be the very last you’ve ever heard!”   
His crew cheered at the proclamation. Sam and Lucifer were dragged away. And as they were being dragged, Sam looked over to Lucifer. He hoped to convey an apology with his eyes. But Lucifer wasn’t even looking.


	9. The Final Hours

Sam’s shoulders butted against Lucifer’s as the ship swayed, making every board creak and settle. Rope dug into their arms, made worse every time either of them moved.  
“Great, this is just great. They’re gonna kill us, aren’t they? Why wouldn’t they…” Lucifer muttered. Though Sam couldn’t see it, he could guess at Lucifer’s expression.  
A silence washed over them as both simultaneously realized what could happen to them in a short time.  
“It’s funny…I used to be so fascinated with humanity. I’d wonder what their journeys were like. I would watch them go on amazing adventures for as long as I could. I envied them. They were free in a way I never was.” Lucifer broke the silence.  
“You ever hear the expression ‘be careful what you wish for’?” Sam asked, quietly.  
“What, so ending up with my heart cut out will teach me my lesson?” Lucifer demanded, offended.  
“I didn’t…I didn’t mean it like that. Look, I _admire_ your dreaming. Shop-boy like me…I couldn’t have imagined an adventure this big in order to have wished for it.” Sam confessed. “I just thought I’d find some…lump of celestial rock and take it home and that would be the end of it.”  
“And you got me.” Lucifer added, sounding amused for the first time in their journey. Sam laughed, from the absurdity of the situation. Lucifer laughed along with him.  
It’s a truly nice feeling, to be laughing with someone. Even if the laughing will cease very soon because of death-by-pirates. When the laughter died down, Lucifer spoke:  
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years watching humanity, it’s that people aren’t always what they seem to be. There are shop-boys and there are…boys who just happen to work in shops for the time being. And you, Sam Winchester, are no shop-boy.”   
Sam smiled at the words. In the grand scheme of things, they were but a comfort in their cell, but one he sorely needed.  
“You saved my life,” Lucifer continued. “Thank you.” And, much to Sam’s surprise, Lucifer’s hand grasped his own. The star’s hand was surprisingly warm, and Sam returned the grip, desperate for touch in his final hours.

 

James stood over a copper bathtub, water turned blue with the blood of his brother. The corpse was beginning to stink a bit.   
James cloak, black as night, flapped slightly in the breeze. His hair ruffled along with it in a matching shade.  
“Well, well, well. The last brother, dead.” James muttered to himself. “That means…that means I’m king.” James concluded. He turned around to face his men and began striding towards them. “I’m king!” He shouted at the top of his lungs. His men rejoiced, or pretended to, at least.   
Beside James walked the ghostly form of Zachariah, blood still streaming from his neck, still naked as a dog.   
“Not yet, brother, mine.” Zachariah corrected. James stopped in his tracks, as though he heard the ghost, but he did not hear his late brother. It was a mere suggestion in his brain that seemingly came from nowhere.  
“Damn, I still need the stone.” James muttered. One of his men came up to him, puzzled.  
“Your brother doesn’t have it?” He asked.  
“Well, why don’t you go have a look?” James suggested, unpleasant smile on his face. The man who spoke gained a disgusted expression then trudged forward towards the copper tub.  
When he’d walked away, James felt hands around his ankles and was instantly on alert. He drew his dagger and knelt down to his assailant. A curly black-haired boy with brown eyes and a long face. James held the dagger to the boy’s throat.  
“Do you know anything about the stone?” James demanded, deciding that that could be the only reason the boy would come out of hiding.  
The boy fumbled for a long moment before clearly remembering something.  
“Oh, yeah…that man, your brother…he mentioned something about a stone. Yeah, the boy had it.” The boy said.  
“What boy?” James snarled.  
“I dunno. A boy! He got away because this was a trap set up for him. Your brother walked straight into it.” The boy revealed. This story was becoming more and more intricate the more James heard of it.  
“A trap? Set by who?”  
“A woman you’d pray you’ll never meet.” The boy, clearly seeing that this was not a sufficient answer, added: “She’s gone. She took your brother’s carriage.” And pointed in a vague direction.  
“The woman wanted my stone?” James growled.  
“No.” The boy argued. “She wanted the boy’s heart. She said the boy was a star and that she was going to cut out his heart-”  
“And eat it.” James supplied. “Oh my God. Do you have any idea what this means?” James asked the boy. The boy gave a brief shake of his head. “Everlasting life. King; forever.”   
Making his decision, James called upon his men, dragging the boy by his collar, and began to set out in search of the stone and the star.  
Oh, this was just too good to be true. Eternally a king…now that was quite something, indeed.

 

“So, tell me about this Ruby…” Lucifer suddenly urged. “I’d like to know about the girl that got me killed.” Sam chuckled at that.  
“There’s nothing more to tell you, really.” Sam replied, entirely out of things he could say about Ruby. He’d already gone through the entire list while walking through that forest.  
“The little I know about love is that it’s unconditional. It’s not something you can _buy._ ” Lucifer said.  
“Hang on. This wasn’t about me _buying_ her love. This was a way for me to prove how I felt!” Sam protested.   
“Ah. And what is she doing, pray tell, to prove how she feels about _you_?” Lucifer questioned.  
Sam fumbled for a moment, reaching around for whatever he could to prove Lucifer wrong. But he could find nothing. Ruby had never proved her feelings for him, not once. In fact, it seemed like there were none at all in her for him. But this would not dissuade Sam.  
“Look, Lucifer…you’ll understand when you meet her. Provided we don’t get murdered by pirates, first.” Sam finally came up with. Lucifer hummed, noncommittally.  
“Murdered by pirates, heart torn out and eaten, meet Ruby…can’t quite decide which one sounds more fun…”  
And Sam snickered, because there was nothing else he could do. Tied to a spirited and witty star, both about to meet their ends…what else was there to do than laugh?  
His hand was still holding Lucifer’s. Neither commented. Neither even noticed the simple touch.


End file.
